atkinson



3 Sheets Sheet 1'.

(No Model.)

W. I-I. ATKINSON. MACHINE FOR SBAMING IRREGULAR- H PED CANS. No. 311,632;

Patented PebLB, 1885K.

w n 6 M Z m u E a HULL I w $9. 9 M 7 w T W 6 N, PETERS. Photo-Lil (No Modelfl 3 Sheets-Sheet 2".

W. H. ATKINSON.

MACHINE FOR SEAMING IRREGULAR SHAPED CANS.

NO. 311 632. PatentedPeb. 3, '1885.

4 null" I N. PETERS Phummlw m hm. Wnshingtnm D c,

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

W. H. ATKINSON.

MACHINE FOR SEAMING IRREGULAR SHAPED CANS.

Patented Feb. 3, 1885.

IIwe/r/Zbr:

N. PETERS. PhoIo-Liihographur. Washmglon. D. c

Iiurrnn Sra'rns Parana Orrrcn.

\VILLIAM H. ATKINSON, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SOMERS BROS, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHlNE FOR SEAlVllNG lRREGULAR=SHAPED CANS.

EPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311,632, dated February 3,1885.

Apr lication lilcd August 25, 18: 4.

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. WILLIAM H. AT IN- sort, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, hzveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Scaming Irregular Shapcd Cans, i'ully described and representedin the following specification and theaccornpanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to the forming of seams uniting the body and ends of metal vessels, and especially to the forming of such seams in tin cans whose bodies vary from a circular form and have such as rectangular, triangular, and similar shapes.

One object of the invention is the provision of an elastic tailstock, whereby the work to be operated upon may be so held as to be properly rotated, and yet not be so forcibly chucked as to disturb the proper relation of the loose parts to be united by the seaming operation. Another object to be attained is the positive movement in both directions of the fianging-tools; another the automatic adjustment ol' the hanging tool or tools to and from working position. I

The invention consists in means for positively moving the flanging-toolsin apath conforming with the contour of the can or vessel in which the seam is to be formed; in means for automatically adjustingthe hanging-tools to and from their working positions, and combinations of parts, all of which are fully hereinatter set out and claimed.

A practical embodiment of the invention, when applied to the production of the seams in a square can, is shown in the accompanying drawings, only so much of the machineas is necessary to an umlcrstanding of its construction and operation is, however, illus trated, Figure 1 being a plan view of its principal parts; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation on the line m of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a side elevation; Fig. 4, a horizontal sectional View, partly in plan, of the head-stock audits appurtenances; Fig. 5, afront elevation ot'some oftheparts, the head-stock and tool-carriers being removed; Fig. 6, a horizontal section of the tail-stock, and Figs. 7 and 8 modified forms of patterncams suited to the production of rectangular and oval boxes.

Heretot'ore in canseaming machines it has been the practice to force the movable tailstock, by which the work is carried to and clamped in contact with the head stock, by means that constitute a rigid support. This mode of operation renders an apparatus so constructed liable to jam the thin metal parts of the vessel out of proper position, any pressure greater than is necessary to hold in con tact the separate parts that are to be united and enable the turning headstock to spin or revolve the whole vessel being unnecessary and liable either to disturb the proper co-relation of the edges to be united, whereby results an imperfect scam, or disturbing the body of the vessel, whereby it is destroyed. These defects of construction and operation are avoided by the means embraced herein, whereby the pressure between the head and foot stocks is made an elastic instead of a rigid one. It has also been the practice heretot'ore to move the carriage carrying the flanging-tool in one direction by means of a cam, 7 and'to move it in the opposite direction by means of a weight or spring. This is obviated by the improved construction herein contained, whereby the reeiprocatory motion of the flanging tool in conforming to the vary- 8a ing position which the edge of the vesselassumes where it is operated upon to form the can is accomplished positively.

In former machines the adjusting and holding of the Hanging-tool in its forward or working position has been performed by a hand operation, while in the present improvement the tool is not only moved into and out of such position automatically and caused to follow up the flange as it is being formed, but when two 0 tools are used both have that mode of operation and a relative automatic adjustment, whereby each is brought into such timely operation that both remain in operation during like periods, and unnecessary action of the parts is avoided.

A practical machine embracing these improvements, as illustrated herein, will now be explained. Its mechanisms are mounted upon a framework, A, substantially in the manner adopted for ordinary lathes, and, though shown as arranged horizontally, may obvious- ]y be set upright, and will then have its mechanisms arranged to be automatically brought into operation. They mainly comprise a headstock, B, that is rotated by power applied to a driving-wheel on a shaft, 10, and of a tailstock, 0, that is capable of rotation when motion is communicated to it by the Work held or chucked between it and the head-stock and caused to turn with thelatter. The tail-stock O is supported in a saddle-block, D, that rests upon the rails 11 of the frames A, and maybe adjusted to and from the headstock B and secured by a clamp in the common manner. The tail-stock 0 (see Fig. 6) consists of abaseblock, 12, in which is securedan inwardlyextending tapered spindle, 13, and said baseblock carries a face-plate, 14, seated thereon by means of springs 15, that are confined in sockets, and bear upon plungers 43, that engage the face-plate 14. The faceplate also has guide-pins 16, that passthrough the springs 15, and play in sockets extendingthrough the base-block 12, and it is provided with headed stop-pins 17, that limit its motion, which pins pass or are entered through thebase-block and are tapped into the face-plate 14. A slight elastic or spring movement of the tailpiece is thus provided. A number of pattern or bearing plates, as 18, are provided for use with this tail-piece, each being provided with proper holes, whereby they may be secured to the face-plate 14 by screws 19. The tapered spindle 13 forms the step-likejournal for the tail-piece, and has its bearing in a mandrel, 20, mounted so as to reciprocate in suitable bearing formed in the saddle D, its movements being accomplished by means of a toggle, one arm, 21, of which is pivoted to the end of the mandrel 20, while the other, 22, is pivoted in the end of a bifurcated bracket, 23, that extends rearward from the saddle D. This toggle has its operating-lever 24 pivoted to it at the junction of its twin arms 21 22, which lever is upheld by a spring, 25, that bears against its shoulder 26,and upon a footplate, 27, supported by the frame, a stem, 28, which said spring encircles, extending through the foot-plate 27 as a guide, and to which a bridleisattaehed. Thetendency of thisspring is such, therefore, as to constantly press the toggle-lever upward, and thus withdraw the mandrel 20 and the tail-piece with it to their rearmost position. Asuitable downward pressure upon the toggle, or its lever 24, will of course cause the tail-piece to be moved forward, and this position of it may be secured by means of a stop-pin, 29, which enters a re eess, 29, in one end of the central pivot of the toggle, which pin a lever, 31, Fig. 1, constantly presses inward, one arm, 30, of said lever carrying said stop-pin, and the other being seated upon a spring, 32, to hold it constantly to duty. The head-stock B, which is recessed t-o'allow adome-like can-top to project within it, revolves upon an axis in a stationary bearing; but its carriage E is arranged to be adjusted laterally on a dovetail way, E, with which the frame of the machine is provided in the usual manner. This carriageisfixed and provides a guideway, 33, in which slides F G may reciprocate, each of said slides being provided with horizontal slots F andG, that admit the projection of the driving-shaft lO'of the head-stock through them, and the unobstructed reciproeatory movement of one slide with respect to the other. On the front end of the head-stock is mounted (or the latter is shaped to form it) the seaming-platen, the supporting-anvil of which is the flange 1. The head-stock also carries the pattern-cams 5 6 for producing the reciprocating movements of the slides F and G, and controlling those of the tlanging-rolls 8 9, in manner as will presently appear. As here shown,the platen and cams are made in one piece; but of course they might be separate parts properly secured to move in unison. The anvil or flange 4 of the seaming-platen is shaped to suit the form of the can-body to be operated upon, and said flange 4 has dimensions suited to those of the seam to be formed. The cams 5 and 6 are of a peculiar structure. One, 6, has its periphery of a form corresponding with that of the contour of the edge of the body of the can upon which the seam is to be formed. and hence is suited to properly guide the flanging-roll in contact therewith, and the other, 5, has such a corresponding shape that it will conjointly operate with the cam 6 to compel said roll to follow the contour of the edge of the body of the can, thereby moving the flanging-rolls positively to and fro in such operation. The hanging rolls 8 9 (each being a dit'ferentshaped hanging-tool) have bearingpins secured, respectively, to bars 44 45, that are mounted so as to slightly move in, but travel bodily 'with, carriers T V, that project outward from the slides F G, to which they are adjust-ably attached by brackets 39 40, that fit recesses 37 38 in the slides, where they are fixed by clamp-screws 41 42. The slides F and G are respectively provided with friction-rolls 7 2, journaled to their inner ends, the roll 7 of the slide F bearing on the side of the cam 5 farthest from the opposite end of the slide, and the roll 2 of the slide G being correspondingly arranged. The friction-rolls 1 3 (belonging, respectively, to the slides F G) are mounted 1n the ends of arms 35 36, which are re spectively. secured in slots cut in the carriers T V, where their adjusted position is secured by means of the top plates, T and V, of said carriers, which hold them in place by means of the screws securing said plates.

The positive reciprocating movement of these slides is accomplished as follows: The friction-rolls 1 and 7 (lo-operate with'the eams6 and 5 to reciprocate the slide F, and the rolls 3 and 2 in like manner with the cams .6 5 to reciprocate the slide G, each slide being moved positively in both directions; and since the cam 6, which determines the position of the flangingrolls, must conform in contour with that of the body of the can to be operated upon, the cam 5 n1 ust be relatively shaped, so as to holdthe friction-roll constantly bearing on the cam 5 in rolling contact therewith; hence these two cams will relatively he so constructed that the pitchlines of their opposite sides shall be constantly eqnidistantthat is, the point of bearing of the roll, say 7, on the cam 5 and the point of bearing of the roll 1 on the cam 6 will be the same distance apart in all positions of the rotation of said cams, and this will he so whether said cams are shaped to suit them for use in the seaming of a vessel of the square form with rounded corners, shown, or upon a vessel of any other shape, and which, revolved upon an axis. requires the fianging-tool to constantly vary its position. Thus the cam 6 will in all cases be of precisely the shape of the can to be operated upon, and the cam 5 will be so correspondingly shaped and relatively mounted that such a harmony of action between the two will result as to cause the sliding heads to steadily reciprocate and carry the flanging-tools in paths coinciding with the edge of the can. The shape of the cam 5 will change somewhat as the tllXIlGDSlOllS of a given shaped can change-that is, in some sizes of the square can with rounded corners the cam 5 will be exactly a counterpart of the cam 6. In other sizes of the same-shaped can the sides of the cam 5 will be more or less convex. It the shape of the can be circular, of course cams will not be used, but simple disks take their places; but where the form is rectangular or oval the relative shapes of the said cams will be that indicated, respectively, in Figs. 7 and 8, where the cam 6 is shown in full lines and the cam 5 partly in dotted lines. Other 1 shapes, as triangular, will require similarlyshaped cams. The Hanging-rolls are automatically brought and held in operative position, to be thereafter guided by the movement imparted to the slide by the cams 5 o, and this is accomplished as follows: Their sliding lltLlS 44 45 have arms 48 49, that are seated upon springs in recesses in the carriers '1 V, and are respectively connected to hell-cranks 46 47 by short studs 57 58, which hell-cranks are mounted on the outside of the carriers T V, and the studs. connecting them to the slidebars 44 45 play in slots cut in the sides of the carriers T V. The free ends of these bellcranks carry frictionbowls 50 51, that are periodically engaged by and made to travel on guide-rails I J, that are automatically brought into and moved from a position to effect that operation. These guide-rails I J are at the ends of rocking arms M N, pivoted in brackets O P, rising from the frame near each end of the carriage E, and they cover the range 0t travel that said bowls may have. Each rocking arm M N carries an actuating-arm, as 52 53, that projects down before a cam, 54 or 55, mounted on a cross-shaft, R, that is journaled in hearings on the frame, and is driven at ap propriate speed by means of a miter-wheel, 56, that conveys motion to it through a miterwheel, 57, on the side shaft, S, that is properly driven from some moving shaft of the machine. partsso related to each other (see Fig. 2) that when one holds the guide-rail I up to press forward the arm 44, as in Fig. 3, and move the flanging-roll 8 into operative position the other guide-rail, J, will be'depressed to permit the contrary action of the flanging-roll 9, and these cams are so shaped (see cam 54, Fig. 3) that they operate to allow the flanging-roll to stand for a time out of operative position, as does 9 in Fig. 1, then to move forward to act upon the flange. thus gradually advancing as the tlanging proceeds, (see 8 in Fig. 1,)and finally to quickly recede to the non-operative position. It will now be understood that the cam-moved guide-rails I J automatically act to adjust the tlaugingrolls into the proper position to act upon the edge of the camand in conjunction with the anvil 4 of the platen to form a flanged seam uniting the side and end of the can; also, that this adjusted position is so related to that ofthe friction-rolls 1 or 3 that whatever movement is imparted to the slide that supports the carriers T V from the pattern'cams 5 6 will likewise be communicated to the tlanging-roll, and hence that the latter will follow the contour of the edge of the can and act evenly upon it throughout its entire rotation. The cams 54 are so related that when the former has held the fianging-roll 8 in its operative position during one-half the circuit of the can operated upon the cam 55 will come into action and move the flangingroll 9 into operation upon the can; and when each roll 8 9 has operated upon the entire edge ofthe can the cams will be out of action-that is, their low parts will be presented to the arms 52 53'thus allowing the guide-rails I J to retire out of contact with the bowls 50 51, whereupon the rolls 8 9 will be carried away from the edge of the can, as is eXampled by the position of theroll 9 in Figs. 1 and 2, both rolls 8 9 standing away from the flange 4 of the seaming head when the machine is not working.

The operation of the machine is as follows: A can-body, as \V, with its top or head, asY, laid onto it, as in Fig. 4, is placed between the head and foot stocks, its bottom rested against the pattern plate 18 of the latter and its top resting against the tlange 4 of the headstock. The spring-seated face -plate 14 of the footstock thus holds the can elastically but snugly clamped between the foot and head stocks, and the tlange 4 of the latter lies as an anvil behind the parts that are to form the flange. Upon starting the mechanisms the rotation of the head-stock imparts a rapid rotation to the can and tail stock, and a slow motion-say 1 to 8 -to the cam-shaft R. The cams 6 5, through the rolls 4 7 and 3 2. cause the slides F G, their carriers T V, and the flanging-rolls 8 9 to reciprocate. The

These cams 54 55 have their high.

too

cam 54 on the shaft R then bearing upon the 2 arm 52, raises the guide-rail I, which in turn elevates the bowl 50, and the latter rocks the bell-crank 46, which moves the Hanging-roll 8 forward into working contact with the edge of the can, as in Figs. 1, 2, the peculiar periphery of which roll is shaped to preliminarily form the flange of the seam. After, say, three and onehalf rotations of the can, the cam 55 will raise the guide-rail J to elevate the bowl 51, so that the latter will rock the bell-crank 47 to move the flanging-roll 9 forward into working contact with the edge of the can, as in Fig. 5, the peculiar periphery of said roll 9 being adapted to finish the flange uniting the can body and top. Each roll 8 9 is kept in working position during four revolutions of the can, the cams 54 55 being so related as to raise the rail J in advance of the rail I and lower I in advance of J. Thus, when three and one-half rotations have been made with the roll 8 in contact, the roll 9 comes into operation. During the next one-hall rotation of the ,can, both rolls 8 9 are in operation. Then roll 8 is withdrawn and roll 9 continues alone in action till eight revolutions of the can are accomplished, at which time both cams 54 55 will present their low parts, thus allowing the guide-rails I J to retire, and hence the fianging-rolls will be in their outwardposition and the machine may be stopped to permit the removal of the can.

In an upright machine the foot-stock will be uppermost,and a suitable foot-lever be pro vided to operate its toggle, and of course there might be arranged with it a starting device and a stopping device arranged to be applied automatically after any predetermined revolutions of the head-stock.

What is claimed is 1. In a can-seaming machine, the combination, with a head-stock carrying an anvil or support, 4, and provided with a pattern-cam, as 6, conforming to the contour of the vessel to be operated upon, and with a co-operating cam, as 5, of a sliding carriage supporting the seaming-tool, and means connecting said carriage with the actuating-cams, whereby the positive movement of the carriage and the tool it carries is accomplished in both directions, all substantially as described.

2. In a can-seaming machine, the combination, with a head-stock carrying an anvil or support, 4, and provided with a pattern-cam, as 6, conforming to the contour of the vessel to be operated upon, and with a cam, as 5, of two sliding carriages, each supporting aseaming-tOOl, and with means connecting the carriages with the actuating-cams, whereby the positive movement of the carriages and the tools carried thereby is accomplished in both directions, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with ahead-stock provided with a, work supporting anvil and with a pattern-cam, both conforming to the shape ot the vessel operated upon, and with a (to-operating seaming-tool-actuating cam, of two sliding seaming-tool-supporting carriages, means connecting said carriages with said cams so as tobe positively moved in both directions thereby, and means automatically operating to adjust said tools into working posi tion at different periods of time, substantially as described.

4. In a can-seaming machine, the combination, with a head-stock having an anvil, as 4, and cams 6 5, of a movable carriage carrying the seaming-roll and provided with bearings or rolls 1 7, substantially as described.

5. In a can-seaming machine, the combination, with a head-stock having an anvil, as 4, and cams 6 5, of two movable carriages, each earryinga seaming-roll and respectively provided with bearings or rolls 1 7 and 3 2, substantially as described.

6. In a can-seaming machine, the combina tion, with a head-stock having an anvil, 4, and cams 6 5, and a movable carriage provided with bearings or rolls l7, and carrying a mov able seaming-tool, of a guide-rail and a cam tor automatically raising it, and mechanism operated by the guide-rail to adjust said seam ing-tool into operative position, substantially as described.

7. In a can-seaming machine, the combination, with a head-stock having an anvil, 4, and cams 6 5, and movable carriages provided, respectively, with bearings or rolls 1 7 and 3 2, and each carrying a seaming-tool, of guiderails and means l'or automatically operating them to adjust the seaming-tools into operative position, all substantially as described.

8. In a can'seaming machine, the combination, with two seaming-tools mounted, respectively, in reciprocating carriages the movements of which are controlled by patterncams, of cams for automatically adjusting said seaming-tools into and out of operative position, substantially as described.

9. In a can-seaming machine, the combina tion, with a seaming-tool mounted in a reciprocating carriage the movements of which are controlled by pattern-cams, of a cam and devices transmit-ting motion from said cam to the seaming-tool and automatically adjusting it into and out of operative position, substantiall y as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WVlVI- H. ATKINSON. Witnesses:

'l. H. PALMER,

Gno. H. GRAHAM. 

